Book on FestPac images available at public schools

Guam DOE receives 50 books full of stunning images captured during the 2016 Festival of Pacific Arts, donated by the GVB. “Journeys to the Heart” is by Pulitzer Price-winning photographer Manny Crisostomo.
Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com

Guam Visitors Bureau President Nathan Denight, second from left, on Wednesday leads the donation to public schools of 50 copies of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Manny Crisostomo's book which captures stunning images from the 2016 Festival of the Pacific Arts that Guam hosted.(Photo: Haidee Eugenio/PDN)

Public school students and teachers will have free access to a book that captures powerful images from the island's 2016 hosting of the Festival of Pacific Arts, thanks to book donations from the Guam Visitors Bureau to the Guam Department of Education on Wednesday.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Manny Crisostomo's book, "Journeys to the Heart," is a 200-page visual retelling of FestPac, the largest showcase of Pacific arts and culture held every four years.

GVB, which worked with Crisostomo to produce the book, said promoting culture is an integral part of tourism and the book is also a tool to learn and teach different island cultures to students.

"We’re happy to donate Manny’s book so all of Guam’s public school children can witness the magnificence of FestPac and how this once-in-a-lifetime event united our island with the rest of our sisters and brothers of the Pacific,” GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight said. “We hope that it inspires and motivates them to continue to share Guam’s story and culture with the world as they grow up.”

"We look forward to seeing these books in many places in the school," Arriola said at the donation event.

She said in recent decades, FestPac has been one of the largest and most memorable events that Guam has hosted for a two-week period.

"No other cultural celebration is greater than that," she added.

Fernandez said the library of each of the 41 public schools under Guam DOE will receive a copy of the book by next year.

"Not only will this book help our students to remember the message of cultural diversity and unity as they interact with their classmates and pursue their education, but it will also allow future generations of students to learn about our neighbors in the Pacific and appreciate the vibrant cultures of our region for many years to come. We plan to have these books available to students at every public school library by next year," Fernandez said.

Upon learning that his book would be distributed to the island’s school libraries, Crisostomo said in a statement that he's humbled by the wonderful gesture and it brings him back to his childhood.

"I was nine-years-old when I discovered I could check out books at the library at C.L. Taitano Elementary School. I remember rushing home after school, climbing my tree house with my library books and reading till it got dark. Those library books sparked my curiosity about the world and set in motion my career as a journalist, documentary photographer, and author,” Crisostomo said.

He said this is his sixth published book and his favorite. It’s special, he said, because it is dedicated to his mother who was buried on the eve of FestPac and his granddaughter who was baptized the next morning before the opening ceremonies.

"It’s a favorite because I love the medium of monochrome photography. It’s my homage to the Chamorus and our spirit, resilience and culture. And it speaks of our collective journey with our Oceanic brothers and sisters of who we are as Pacific Islanders. Wouldn’t it be cool if this book inspires a student on their chosen career path just like the stacks of library books I borrowed from the library jump started my journalistic journey?” he said.

Students who participated in FestPac are also featured in the book. "We put so much work to make it beautiful," said Cruz, one of those FestPac student-participants.